(a) There is established the B-3 Interagency Council.
The Council is a joint council between the Department of Health and Human
Services and the Department of Public Instruction and shall consist of 12
voting members and four nonvoting advisory members as follows:

(1) The Superintendent of Public Instruction or the
Superintendent's designee shall serve ex officio, with the same rights and
privileges, including voting rights, as other members.

(2) The Associate Superintendent of Early Education at
the Department of Public Instruction shall serve ex officio, with the same
rights and privileges, including voting rights, as other members.

(3) The Secretary of Health and Human Services or the
Secretary's designee shall serve ex officio, with the same rights and
privileges, including voting rights, as other members.

(4) The Deputy Secretary of Human Services at the
Department of Health and Human Services shall serve ex officio, with the same
rights and privileges, including voting rights, as other members.

(5) Four public members appointed by the Speaker of
House of Representatives who represent organizations that focus on early
childhood education and development, one of whom shall be a representative of
Smart Start.

(6) Four public members appointed by the President Pro
Tempore of the Senate who represent organizations that focus on early childhood
education and development, one of whom shall be a representative of the North
Carolina Partnership for Children.

(7) Two members of the House of Representatives
appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives to serve as nonvoting
advisory members.

(8) Two members of the Senate appointed by the
President Pro Tempore of the Senate to serve as nonvoting advisory members.

The Deputy Secretary of Human Services and the Associate
Superintendent of Early Education shall serve as cochairs of the Council.
Members of the Council shall receive per diem, subsistence, and travel
allowance, as provided in G.S. 120-3.1, 138-5, or 138-6, as appropriate.

(b) Terms for all public members and advisory members
except for the initial appointments shall be for four years. Two of the public
members appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives pursuant to
subdivision (5) of subsection (a) of this section and one of the advisory
members appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives pursuant to
subdivision (7) of subsection (a) of this section shall be appointed for an
initial term of two years. Two of the public members appointed by the President
Pro Tempore of the Senate pursuant to subdivision (6) of subsection (a) of this
section and one of the advisory members appointed by the President Pro Tempore
of the Senate pursuant to subdivision (8) of subsection (a) of this section
shall be appointed for an initial term of two years. Terms for members shall
begin on November 1. Members shall serve until their successors are appointed.
Any vacancy in the membership of the Council shall be filled in the same manner
as the original appointment.

(c) The Council shall have as its charge establishing
a vision and accountability for a birth through grade three system of early
education that addresses all of the following:

(1) Standards and assessment.

(2) Data-driven improvement and outcomes, including
shared accountability measures such as the NC Pathways to Grade-Level Reading.

(3) Teacher and administrator preparation and
effectiveness.

(4) Instruction and environment.

(5) Transitions and continuity.

(6) Family engagement.

(7) Governance and funding. (2017-57,
s. 7.23I(a).)

§ 115C-64.26. Powers and duties of B-3 Interagency Council.

The B-3 Interagency Council shall have the following powers
and duties:

(1) Facilitating the development and implementation of
an interagency plan for a coordinated system of early care, education, and
child development services with a focus on program outcomes in satisfying the
developmental and educational needs of all children from birth to eight years
of age that includes at least the following:

a. Any recommendations to the Secretary of Health and
Human Services and the Superintendent of Public Instruction on necessary
organizational changes needed within the Departments of Health and Human
Services and Public Instruction to be more responsive to and supportive of the
birth to grade three continuum of early learning and development in an effort
to optimize learning gains realized in the prekindergarten years.

b. An early childhood information system that
facilitates and encourages the sharing of data between and among early
childhood service providers and State agencies.

c. An early childhood accountability plan that
includes identification of appropriate population indicators and program and
system performance measures of early success of children such as the NC
Pathways to Grade-Level Reading.

(2) Implementing a statewide longitudinal evaluation of
the educational progress of children from prekindergarten programs through
grade 12.

(3) Collaborating with the Department of Public
Instruction, the Department of Health and Human Services, the North Carolina
Partnership for Children, and other relevant early childhood stakeholders,
including members of the North Carolina Early Childhood Advisory Council, to
achieve the goal of a coordinated system of early care, education, and child
development services for children from birth to eight years of age. (2017-57, s. 7.23I(a).)

§ 115C-64.27. Reporting requirement.

The Deputy Secretary of Human Services and the Associate
Superintendent of Early Education shall report on a quarterly basis to the
Secretary of Health and Human Services and the Superintendent of Public
Instruction on the progress and implementation of any of the duties and
responsibilities of the Council as set forth in this Article. (2017-57, s. 7.23I(a).)

§ 115C-64.28. Establish position of Associate Superintendent
of Early Education to serve as chief academic officer of early education.

(a) There is established within the Department of
Public Instruction the position of Associate Superintendent of Early Education
who shall serve as the chief academic officer of early education. The Associate
Superintendent shall have professional, administrative, technical, and clerical
personnel as may be necessary to assist in carrying out his or her duties. The
Associate Superintendent shall co-lead the work of the B-3 Interagency Council
and oversee the Department of Public Instruction's prekindergarten through
third grade initiatives.

(b) The Associate Superintendent shall be appointed by
the Superintendent of Public Instruction at a salary established by the
Superintendent of Public Instruction within the funds appropriated for that
purpose. The Associate Superintendent may be removed from the position by the
Superintendent of Public Instruction. The Associate Superintendent shall be
exempt from the provisions of Chapter 126 of the General Statutes, except for
Articles 6 and 7 of Chapter 126 of the General Statutes.

All other staff shall be appointed, supervised, and directed
by the Associate Superintendent and shall be subject to the provisions of
Chapter 126 of the General Statutes. Except for the Associate Superintendent,
salaries and compensation of all staff personnel shall be fixed in the manner
provided by law for fixing and regulating salaries and compensation by other
State agencies. (2017-57, s. 7.23I(a); 2017-197, s.
2.3.)